Clip or fastener.



No. 637,479. Patented Nov. 2|, I899. E. T. OPPAL.

CLIP 0R FASTENER.

(Application 111 a Aug. 31, 1899.)

(No Model.)

WAX/ 0040: WM Lz M m. dz/54. 5,

1m: roams PETIRS w wow-Mme WASHINGTON. u. c.

EMMA T. OPPAL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO MARY KAMMERER, OF SAME PLACE.

CLIP OR FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,479, dated November 21, 1899.

. Application filed August 31, 1899. Serial No. 729047. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMA T. OPPAL, acitizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clips or Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to a clip or fastening device, and in such connection it relates more particularly to the construction and arrangement of such a device.

The principal object of my invention is to provide asimple and efficient clip or fastening especially adapted for holding up underwear and thelike; and to this end my invention primarily consists of a clip or fastener comprising a cross-bar or pintle, from which depends two bail-like members, each member having converging ends, the ends of one being pivoted to the bar or pintle between the ends of the other member, so that when the members are expanded the ends of one member ride between and upon the ends of the other member to form a spring or cam adapted to return the two members to their contracted or normal engaging position.

My invention further consists of a clip or fastener, constructed'and arranged in substantially the manner hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature and scope of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a clip or fastener embodying main features of my invention with the bail like members in closed or normal engaging position. Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the clip or fastener with the members held in expanded position. Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a modified form of clip or fastener, the pintle of which is a solidheaded bar.

Referring to the drawings, a or a represents the pintle, which, as illustrated in Figs.

1 to 4, inclusive, may be in the form of a loop a, or, as illustrated in Fig. 5, in the form of a solid headed bar a. From the pintle a or a is suspended two bail-like membersb and 11, each of which has its free ends 19 or b so located on the pintle a or a as to be pivoted thereon. Thus in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the end b or b are coiled around one of the transverse sides of the looped pintle a, while in Fig. 5 these ends are coiled directly around the solid headed bar a. In both forms the free ends of both members converge, and the free ends 6 of one member Z) are located between the free ends 6 of the memberb and bear laterally or outwardly thereon in normal position to thus close down in engaging condition firmly one memberb upon the other member I). When the two members are expanded, the coiled ends b of one member ride upon the cam-surface of the coiled ends I) of the other member, and the free ends 12 7c are drawn inwardly until the coils b impinge upon the coils I) only at the upper edge of said coils, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. There is thus created a tension or torsion upon one member I), which is sufficient when the members are released to cause the members to snap or spring together into normal engaging position. The looped sides of the loop a or the headed ends of the bar a prevent the coiled free ends 12 from being moved by the expansion of the member 1).

Having thus described the nature and ob ject of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A clip or fastener, comprising a pintle and two bail-like members pivoted on and movable with respect to said pintle, the free ends of both members converging and coiled around the pintle, and the converging and coiled ends of one member resting normally go between and bearing upon the converging and coiled ends of the other member, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A clip or fastener, comprising a looped pintle, a bail-like member having its freeends converging and coiled around one of the bars of said pintle and confined thereon by the looped sides of said pintle, and a second bail-like member having its free ends con- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set verging and coiled upon the same bar of said my signature in the presence of two SllbSOIlbpintle, and resting between and against the ing witnesses.

converging coiled ends of the first member EMMA T. OPPAL. 5 and both of said members adapted to swing Witnesses: v

upon the bar of said pintle as a pivot, sub- J. WALTER DOUGLASS,

stantially as and for the purposes set forth. RICHARD O. MAXWELL. 

